lol! No doubt... Especially beware when the information provider doesn't want his name revealed... This is the lying season. Deciphering between truth, and what somebody might want you to believe can be tricky...
I meant as sources of information, but yeah... I hope to goodness that Hurst does fall to the second round. I'll take him at #33 or #35 in an instant. Imagine... #1: Baker Mayfield, QB #4: Trade for #15, #47, and a future third #15: Derrius Guice, RB #33: Maurice Hurst, DT #35: Jamarco Jones, OT #47: Jaire Alexander, CB #64: Jerome Baker, LB #65: Michael Gallup, WR #103: Shaquem Griffin, EDGE ... might be one of the best drafts of all time.
Giving them a discount. We can't possibly hope to use all those picks. #4 = 1,800 #15 = 1,050 #47 = 430 Leaves us with a delta of 320 (#58 overall). I guess maybe a future second versus future third, but again... we're just haggling. Plus, they aren't moving up to take the best or even second-best QB in the class. They're taking #3 or even #4, depending on what Indy does.
Priority Free Agent #1: Spotrac gives him a market value of $13M a year - estimated 5-year, $65 million deal. Worth it. It's comparable to the deal Janoris Jenkins signed in New York. Imagine adding a 27-year old, Top 5 cornerback (and best defensive player for a repeat Super Bowl contender) to start the offseason. I know we've talked about Terrelle Pryor coming home, and I'm still all for that, but Sammy Watkins (the prize of the 2014 class that Browns fans never got) is also a free agent. Spotrac gives his market estimate as a paltry $6M a season (3-year, $18 million deal). Done. Add Pryor, too. (3-year, $15 million deal). We're still at only $24 million a year in new money and added three impact players to the team right away. Cap it off with DeMarcus Lawrence (DE, Dallas) who enjoyed a breakout season. Market value estimate of $14M a season (5-year, $70 million deal). New spending of $38 million and we're still $80 million under the cap. Gimme Drew Stanton (QB, Arizona) to mentor Baker Mayfield (2-year, $7 million deal). Plan on drafting Saquon Barkley at #4 and the only hole left is LT to replace Joe Thomas.
Like you I think whomever is moving to #4 is moving for a QB but I think in their minds they will be moving for their #1 or #2. Gotta make them pay to move from #15 to #4. Future 1st or no deal.
This will go over like a lead ballon but I think at #4 you might want to consider Quentin Nelson. He will step on the field and be one of the best o-linemen in the NFL day 1. He'll be a starter for 10+ years. How many guys can you say will enter the NFL at the top of their position?
A Guard with a top 5 pick? Right after we just invested $75M in Guards last year?? Uhm yeah... Isn't there an unwritten rule about drafting Guards in the top 10? And that is simply, don't do it... Not that he's the end all, but Bill Polian mentions that all the time when he's asked to comment on the Kiper and McShay mocks...And he swears he never violated that rule.. Don't forget, this is the only guy that had a 1st rd grade on Tom Brady...So he knows his stuff. lol!
My bad somehow I forgot they extended Bitonio. I do think this guy is a Top Ten player though. Just not a fit for the Browns.
Well, we all know you failed your NFL economics 101 class, we had a review and you STILL don't understand it....so, we will just move on from this one.
I agree that Nelson is a helluva player...I think he will come off somewhere in the top half of round 1...Maybe Bengals or 49ers if I had to guess.
FWIW, rumor has it Scott McCloughan is very high on Q. Nelson....I still don't think it's a fit for the Browns, but I did see that reported in the OBR rumor mill
When McCloughan was unemployed, was he just randomly posting his thoughts on the top draft prospects somewhere? I've never seen an NFL exec come in with more rumors attached about whom he supposedly likes. lol!
It's ironic, no sooner did we start posting..I was listening to Cleveland Browns Daily on KNR. Tony Pauline was a guest and he was talking about his first mock draft. He has the Browns choosing Saquon Barkley #1 and Sam Darnold #4...That wasn't the interesting part of the segment.. He started talking about Dorsey and the fact he isn't enamored with any of the QBs in this draft. He expects him to make a very strong push for an unnamed free agent QB. He wouldn't make any predictions as to who the veteran may be...but he has also been on record expecting Cousins to sign in Denver, so I don't think he believes it is him... Regardless, he stated that there could be a huge surprise at the top of the draft and that would be the Browns taking...drum roll please...Quentin Nelson G Notre Dame...lol. I couldn't believe he said it. Do you get this feed earlier than live in Maryland, lol? His explanation was this. He has talked with sources that say Dorsey Loves this kid...the second part would be the future of Joe Thomas. He said that Bitonio was a very good LT in college and that the Browns believe they have Thomas' replacement with Bitonio and might look to go with Nelson if Thomas is going to retire either this year or next. It was a big part of the segment.. Other notable parts was his declaration that Saquon Barkley is hands down the best player in this draft, with Bradley Chubb being the closest grade to him. He says Barkley may be the most complete RB he has ever analyzed. He's a franchise changer...Not that I keep Tony Pauline up on a pedestal, but it does verify some of what I have seen from his tape at least. He also said he talked with some people at the Senior Bowl and they said Dorsey was enamored with Barkley and expect him to run in the 4.3 range at the combine...if he does, he will be surprised if he isn't the #1 pick of the draft. Then they have options at #4 depending on free agency, which he expects the Browns to be active in. If they don't get that veteran QB in free agency they want, then they will zone in on a couple of draft candidates and take that guy at #4...risking losing him in favor of not losing Barkley. So, if any of this has legitimacy, it should be a rewarding off season...I would be very happy with Barkley at #1 and Mayfield at #4. If his sources are correct and he isn't high on any of the QBs, I could see him being convinced that Mayfield is the guy, which others in the front office recently added ARE enamored with.
